John Smith 
Chosin Star When Hell Froze Over 
When Hell Froze Over

This novel could best be described as historical fiction since it is based on actual events that the author experienced firsthand during the year 1950 and uses both real and fictional characters as well as real and fictional events.

Following the second war to end all wars, a group of young men stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, find themselves in a virtual land of enchantment. Though not exactly a murder mystery, the book begins with the investigation of the murders of two young boys that takes place at a now-defunct military base, Camp Catlin, on the island of Oahu.

The narrative follows the exploits of these young marines, who eventually get caught up in an unexpected war in an unexpected place. There is mystery, romance, humor, camaraderie, deceit, betrayal, dilemma, death, hardship, and pain as the book shifts from part one in the tropical splendorous heaven of Hawaii to part two, in the frozen hell of war-torn South and North Korea.

If you enjoy adventure filled with twists and turns, this is the book for you.

About the author

The author, John Smith, is an eighty-three-year-old United States Marine who served before and during the Korean War. He was wounded in the battle of the Chosin Reservoir at age eighteen in North Korea and was awarded the Purple Heart medal. After his discharge from the military in 1952, he finished high school and then went on to receive a BS degree in public administration at the University of Detroit on the “GI Bill.” He worked for a major computer manufacturer during the 1960s and later became assistant to the president in public relations at Siena Heights College in Adrian, Michigan. Also during the 1960s, he was awarded five daughters and eventually numerous grandchildren. John retired from Central Michigan University in 1991.

In 1998 he formed a unit of US Naval Sea Cadets (a youth program) dedicated to teaching the importance of respect, courtesy, and commitment, in which he was the commanding officer for fifteen years. In 2014, he formed another local group designed for youth emphasizing drug demand reduction and is presently the unit commander of the Central Michigan Young Marines in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

In addition he is a proud member of the VFW, the DAV, the American Legion, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the “Chosin Few.”